JERUSALEM, Feb 11: Israel carried out a successful night-time test of its Hetz (Arrow) anti-missile missile system on Sunday in what public television described as a “message to Iran”.

A Hetz fired from the Palmahim base, south of the commercial capital Tel Aviv, intercepted a missile fired from a high-altitude aircraft, the television said.

Public radio said the missile firing was designed to imitate Iran's Shahab-3, which has a range sufficient to reach Israel.

A defence ministry spokesman said a statement would be released later.

It was the first test of the anti-missile missile since early December 2005, when the military announced the system was fully operational.—AFP